


Proprietary

by WaltzQueen



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Gen, statue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:56:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27340837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaltzQueen/pseuds/WaltzQueen
Summary: "It's mine, I can mess with it."
Comments: 4
Kudos: 58





	Proprietary

Like a memory made manifest Zagreus commissions that statue as soon as he claps eyes upon its listing in the House Contractor's options. It's done sooner than he can tear himself from the page but even that is not soon enough.

Every one who has been a child under the care of another will recall, at some point or another, being chastened. "Don't touch that." Fragile, valuable, improper; the list of reasons for making an object off-limits is marathons long and still being added to. Something as simple as "Mine" or "Not yours" was the dominating voice in the chorus of reasons for Prince Zagreus.

Everything had a reason in the House. That machine is for observing small things and you can't touch it because it needs to be pristine. That vase is carved of a titan's bones so stay clear of it. That's not yours. This isn't yours. That's Achilles' so don't play with it. That belongs to Nyx, so don't move it. That's Hypnos' don't touch it or he'll cry.

Before Zagreus had discovered the truth of his lineage he had snatched a forgotten, discarded chair from behind his father's desk. He was not so willful as to be inconsiderate. He had asked Nyx if it was hers, first. When she had said it wasn't he took it to his chambers so that he could play at being his father with Hypnos being Nyx, because he wanted to stay in one corner and sleep and Thanatos being Cerberus. His plans had been foiled when his father had set upon him.

"That is your mother's, boy. Leave it alone." Zagreus had looked up at his Lord Father with nothing but confusion despite the glower he was met with.

"But I asked Nyx. She said it wasn't hers. Is it hers after all?" Hades grabbed the seat and turned away from his son.

"It isn't yours. And that is reason enough. Now, leave me." In hindsight, the painful parting of his mother must have worn on his Father and made every token a treasured keepsake. He can forgive it, mostly. Still, the rule of "not yours" came to cover anything and everything interesting in the domain. Only now, Zagreus has gems as well. Zagreus can commission interesting things. Zagreus can have things made and they won't be anyone else's.

Zagreus flits over to the western hall, leaving cinders behind him as he goes. A Bloodless in a hood like Than's looms in statue form.It's opulent. It's pretty and priceless. It's all his.

Zagreus whips out his arm as if to knock his new artwork from its gilded perch. At the barest last moment, he softens the blow into a gentle touch. The gold trim is cool and smooth, just like all the priceless things over the years that weren't his to touch. He wants to touch it again. He reaches out but pulls back before any contact.

New things happened so rarely, down here. Aeons of the same scenery become mundane with the passing of time and even the most exciting and strange of sights loose their luster. No, Zagreus wants to savor this as long as he can. And so the young Prince demonstrates that he is not incapable of restraint.

He pokes the statue as he leaves the administrative office. He traces the gold lining on the hood as he dashes to see Achilles at his post. He flicks the non-existent nose of it on his way to speak with Thanatos. When he commissions a pile of towels he slings one around it's skeletal shoulders.

Eventually Zagreus has a new occasion to visit his shiny statue friend. He now throws it a cheerful peace-sign on his way to his father's chambers to see the family portrait hanging on the wall. It's a wonderful new addition to his post-mortem routine. And best of all? It's all his.


End file.
